ORIGIN

Overseer Garnet-Delta had a plan for today.

It involved one of the newer valkhounds-- Vjira. Like the others who seemed corrupted by the Black Spire, she gave Garnet-Delta an uneasy feeling just by being too close to her. Today, it watched the massive, pink-colored beast with one eye, from a safe perch by the Aperture, tail tip flicking this way and that.

The creature did not seem to understand language, or at the very least, it did not speak. This was a curious trait, but did not make it impossible to control. It was certainly more stable than some of the others. This one didn't tear the earth apart or shoot black lightning or anything particularly horrible. It just seemed... Well, childlike.

As it was, Master Vargas had done some work with the creature. The Overseer wanted to do its own testing and training, though. It saw potential in the speechless beast, and as long as it could find a way to direct Vjira, it thought she could be quite useful. As a blunt force object, perhaps...

But if she truly was a creature of instinct and simplicity, then it would be good to show her how to be prepared for potential threats... and how to hunt them down and deal with them. It made the cat's lips curl with contempt and amusement, as it reached its magic out to try and pry at the creature's mind from the safe distance.

Whaaat'cha doing? It sent the teasing, tactless thoughts through when it thought it had got a grasp on her mind, curious to see the reaction. Did she think in thoughts, and simply couldn't speak? Or would the Overseer have to resort to something more primal than words...?

Ahhh, so the Overseer had startled the massive valkhound, had it? It listened to Vjira's thoughts, trying to catch a glimpse of words, thoughts, understanding. It didn't get any of that from the mental scrying, even as it sifted through the surprised, unguarded mind of the beast.

So, given that, Garnet-Delta replied without words, but instead, with emotions and imagery. It gave Vjira its perspective, the view watching down on the valkhound as she flashed violently in all sorts of shades, with no sense of urgency or panic. Would she understand that the image was of something looking down at her, and look up? It thought to the valkhound, as much as it could, its sense of calm and curiosity. Its mind hummed, practically purring in her ear in a bemused, wordless fashion.

It figured it should explain itself, and so it pictured an image of itself, prodding at Vjira's side-- though the feline stayed up on top of its perch at as safe a distance as it could muster-- and offered the image to Vjira's own mind.

Crimson red eyes watched with glee, wondering what the curious beast would make of the images and concepts it tried to send her. Its own tail tip continued to twitch, paws tucked under its body in a contented loaf on the ledge above.

There, Garnet-Delta felt questioning. Was it curiosity, in the strange, alien valkhound? Could something as different from it feel a desire for knowledge and wanting, despite having no ability to communicate? Did a language need words to be? It wondered, tail twitching. Perhaps they simply didn't speak the same language... and to that, Garnet-Delta felt spurred by the challenge.

To answer the wordless beast's question, Garnet-Delta attempted to present the task it had for the Valkhound. (If such a thing could understand past, future, present-- remained to be seen.) It showed Vjira what it would do: the winged cat darting off, sweeping down through the tunnel of oil crystal and flickering cave lights onward, out into Pegasus, where it would vanish from sight in the forest. The imagery did not stop there, as Garnet-Delta imagined from her perspective, the chase she would give through the forest. It imagined the smells of the forest, and its own scent, and how she should follow, until eventually-- the imagery showed her catching up to Garnet-Delta and touching it.

Garnet-Delta shared the feeling of questioning. The wordless Why, and the satisfaction that came with the flashes images it pictured: Vjira, a relentless hunter, chasing every manner of Gembound-- lesser and greater-- and pinning them down, nothing able to escape.

But first, of course... The feline hopped down from its perch, and raised its tail and flicking the tip toward the tunnel. Its wings spread, and offered a half flap, ready to fly. Would she agree? Again, it thought of Vjira trying to merely touch it, without any injury shown. While Vjira could certainly kill other Gembound-- the Overseer would find that a sign of success with glee-- it didn't want to encourage her to think of it as prey. It was a complex message, and one that was a little... well, dangerous.

The Overseer didn't plan on letting her catch it.

Overseer Garnet-Delta held its head high as Vjira approached slowly, towering over it at well over eight times its height. A soft purr emulated from its throat as the enormus valkhound reached out to gently poke at it, feeling a great sense of pride. The feline nodded-- did she understand body language, if not true language? One would hope.

With a twitch of its tail, it raised its paw, and gently bapped Vjira's foot in return, before jumping to its feet. Spreading its wings, it turned away, and nodded toward the tunnel.

Come, it said without words, without even thoughts. It was time for a chase, one that would help it practice its skills.

The Overseer didn't give Vjira more time to wordlessly contemplate the situation. If she understood, then all remained was a true test of skill. Would Garnet-Delta be able to get away from the deadly hunter, or would it be captured? There was only one way to find out.

It began at a run, flapping its wings and taking flight, but it took time for it to gain any sort of speed. The actual chase wouldn't begin until they reached Pegasus-- or, well... technically, it was up to Vjira, who could do whatever the hell she damn pleased, after all.